Thursday, 25 February 2016

Guanabo is a beach town near Havana (25 minutes) that gets a fair bit of tourism due to it's close proximity to the eastern beaches and Havana. I myself have stayed for a few nights in one of the houses located right on the beach and close to where this restaurant is. As a matter of fact it was during that stay that I first discovered Piccolo Restaurant, that was several years ago. At that time I wrote that this was probably the best pizza in Cuba but changed my tune when I discovered a better one in Havana. I hadn't been to Piccolo for several years and decided to check it out once again on my last trip to Cuba. I have to say, they either got better or I forgot how good their pizza was. It's back on top again, the place that took their spot recently changed their chef and the pizza hasn't been the same since.
If you're looking for luxury you won't find it here at Piccolo but you will find good pizza and pasta. I can't speak for the pasta on this visit (we all had pizza) but in the past I remember the pasta being exceptional. The restaurant property is located in the middle of residential Guanabo, one block away from the ocean. It's a house that's been converted into a restaurant where indoor and outdoor seating is available as well as a private space for larger groups. I love the mosaics on the tables and floor on the patio. A new addition to the property is a mini zoo, sort of an attraction for the kids to keep them occupied while they wait for their food. It contains birds, a huge lizard, squirrels and turtles...oh and Japanese chickens in cages. Is a nice distraction if the kids get a little antsy, this is a family style restaurant. They've also started some kind of farming, or at least something for the restaurant's consumption....herbs and vegetables. It looks like a typical Italian Trattoria that would not look out of place in the Roman countryside.
The pizza is thin crust and cooked in a wood burning oven, the pasta is served al dente. The prices are inexpensive in my opinion for the quality that you're getting. We ordered one of the special oven roasted half chickens that took 40 minutes to cook. I don't recommend you order this if you're impatient but it was actually one of the best I've eaten. If you find yourself in Guanabo I suggest you give this place a try, after all, everyone likes pizza and pasta.